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Lawsuit: Waitress Fired for Complaining of Harassment

NEW YORK – A cocktail waitress fired from the Penthouse Executive Club is suing the jiggle joint, claiming male and female bosses sexually harassed her.

Lourdes Garcia says she was one of the top servers at the club but was booted when she rebuffed the sexual advances and then complained.

“It’s disgusting,” Garcia, 34, said after filing a suit against the club in Manhattan Federal Court Thursday.

She alleges that club general manager Kelly Gerald-Hughes made remarks about the size of Garcia’s breasts in front of customers and stroked her leg in a VIP room, promising that the customer would give her a big tip if the two women kissed.

“That’s when I had it. I couldn’t take any more,” the Peekskill, N.Y., woman said.

She said she complained to owner Robert Gans, who dismissed her concerns “like it was no big deal – I work at Penthouse,” she said.

She said bar manager John Loukas repeatedly told her, “You do something for me, I’ll do something for you.”

Garcia says that when she confronted the frisky GM about the hostile work environment, she was fired two weeks before Christmas on trumped-up charges that she stole a few bucks.

“They couldn’t look me in the eye,” she said. “I was loyal to them, and this is how they treat me.”

At the W. 45th St. club, a woman who identified herself as the general manager but said her name was Kelly Skillen, sounded surprised to hear of Garcia’s specific allegations.

“Oh, is that what she’s saying?” she said.

“We appreciate the opportunity to comment, but I cannot comment,” she added.